Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...

Environmental Consequences
Although the Alternative Energy Project Proposed Action and other proposed projects would not
cause substantial cumulative impacts associated with global climate change, there are several
measures currently in place at WFF, as well as initiatives to be implemented in the near future,
which would reduce energy consumption and thereby reduce GHG emissions. For example, the
installation of two 2.0 MW wind turbines and/or solar panels (with an equivalent amount of
energy generated by two 2.0 MW wind turbines) proposed on Wallops Island under the
Alternative Energy Project would reduce the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. This
would result in a beneficial impact on the cumulative effects of planned and on-going projects in
the area, since it has been documented that the three largest GHG emission sources in Virginia
are transportation, non-utility uses of fuel in commercial industrial and residential facilities, and
electricity generation (Bryant, 2008).
In addition to the Alternative Energy Project, WFF has replaced almost 50 percent of its entire
light-duty government-owned fleet (30 out of 70 vehicles) with newer, more fuel-efficient
vehicles, as well as switched all of its diesel vehicles to using 20-percent biodiesel. In addition,
the aforementioned decentralization of the Central Boiler Plant/steam system with individual
propane-fired boilers would result in an estimated emissions reduction of approximately 4,400
metric tonnes per year of CO2.
4.5.6.5 Terrestrial Wildlife and Migratory Birds
Construction and launch noise could temporarily affect wildlife at Wallops Island (e.g., shortterm
disruption of daily/seasonal behavior). Some vegetative damage may occur from heat from
the launch and acid deposition in the near-field areas. Potential adverse cumulative impacts on
terrestrial wildlife and migratory birds could result from habitat alteration and disturbance from
existing and planned projects at WFF including avian injury and fatality from operation of the
wind turbines for the Alternative Energy Project Proposed Action. However, since large areas of
habitat would remain on Wallops Island and the surrounding area, and the findings of the 2008–
2009 WFF avian study (Appendix A) suggest that no substantial direct or indirect impacts are
would occur from operation of two wind turbines on Wallops Island.
4.5.6.6 Threatened and Endangered Species
As part of both the SRIPP Programmatic EIS and the Expansion of the WFF Launch Range EA,
NASA prepared a BA for potential effects to the federally listed threatened and endangered
species for each project. The conclusion of the Section 7 process on both projects is pending.
NASA’s determinations of effects from the Proposed Actions for the Expansion of the WFF
Launch Range, SRIPP EIS, and the Alternative Energy Project are shown in Table 32. Because
no federally listed threatened or endangered species or federally designated critical habitat occur
within the vicinity of the WRP, NASA determined that no effects to federally threatened
endangered species would occur from that project. No evaluations of effects to federally listed
species have been made for the North UAS Airstrip project yet.
146